COOK

Universal Health Services; Nevada (MO); On-site; USD 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Heartland Behavioral Health, part of Universal Health Services, seeks a dedicated cook to plan, prepare and serve meals for children and adolescents in Nevada, Missouri. You will follow established menus, respect dietary restrictions, and maintain a clean, safe kitchen environment.

As part of a healthcare setting, you will monitor temperatures, prevent cross-contamination, and support Dietary Technicians while minimizing waste. Two years of large-scale food prep is preferred.

Qualifications

• Considerable knowledge of ingredients, materials, methods and equipment used in preparation of food
• Extensive knowledge of health, safety and sanitary requirements of food preparation and serving in a healthcare setting.
• A minimum of two years experience in large scale commercial and institutional food preparation preferred.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare and cook a variety of foods from an established menu for patients.
• Adhere to patient dietary restrictions and food safety guidelines.
• Maintain a clean and orderly kitchen and assist Dietary Technicians as needed.
• Follow recipes and adjust for quality and dietary needs while controlling waste.
• Ensure proper holding temperatures and safe feeding practices for patients.

Skills

Kitchen basics

Health and safety

Large-scale prep

Job description

Responsibilities

Heartland Behavioral Health has been providing care for children and adolescents for over 100 years in Nevada, Missouri. We treat male and female patients ages 4 through 17 in both acute as well as residential programs for conditions ranging from depression, anxiety and other mood disorders to recovering from a traumatic event. All of our programs have been designed and tailored to help our patients grow and prosper. Heartland programs are provided with a focus on Trauma Informed Care.

Heartland is nestled within 50 secluded acres in Nevada, Missouri, providing the perfect rural area setting for our residents to heal and grow. A reprieve from everyday life, our peaceful environment allows residents to return to the basics and reconnect with themselves and others. We also offer leisure activities, such as baseball, basketball and an equestrian program, that allow children and adolescents to enjoy themselves while building self-confidence, trust and teamwork.

JOIN OUR TEAM! HELP US "CHANGE LIVES"

Plans, prepares, and cooks a variety of foods from an established menu, adhering to patient dietary restrictions and food safety guidelines to provide safe and nutritious food in a timely manner. Maintains a clean and orderly kitchen, and aids Dietary Technicians in prepping and serving meals.

• Follows standard and manufacturer recipes, altering them as needed to increase quality or stay within dietary restrictions of certain patients.
• Prepare food on a timely basis, hold it at correct hot and cold temperatures for correct time periods.
• Cooks the proper amount of food to satisfy patient requirements while reducing food waste.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient and employee information following HIPPA guidelines and company policies.
• Practices good hygiene.
• Aids Dietary Technicians when needed, providing experience and knowledge related to quality food service.
• Follows all infection control procedures within the kitchen, including cleaning and sanitizing cooking areas and serving line regularly.

Qualifications

Job Requirements and Skills (qualifications, knowledge, abilities):

• Considerable knowledge of ingredients, materials, methods and equipment used in preparation of food; and the care and cleaning of kitchen utensils and equipment
• Extensive knowledge of health, safety and sanitary requirements of food preparation and serving in a healthcare setting.
• A minimum of two years experience in large scale commercial and institutional food preparation preferred.

About Universal Health Services

Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) is one of the nation's largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services. Since our founding in 1979, UHS has grown steadily into a premier Fortune 500 corporation perennially recognized by multiple esteemed national rating entities. Through its subsidiaries, UHS operates inpatient acute care facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities, outpatient and other facilities, nationwide virtual behavioral health services, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services with physical locations in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Ireland and United Kingdom. www.uhs.com.

From Fortune, 2025, 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.

EEO STATEMENT

All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Notice

At UHS and all our subsidiaries, our Human Resources departments and recruiters are here to help prospective candidates by matching skillset and experience with the best possible career path at UHS and our subsidiaries. We take pride in creating a highly efficient and best in class candidate experience. During the recruitment process, no recruiter or employee will request financial or personal information (Social Security Number, credit card or bank information, etc.) from you via email. The recruiters will not email you from a public webmail client like Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc.